ColaLife on BBC (UK) National Radio (27/12/08)
December 29, 2008 by Simon Berry · 2 Comments
On Saturday, 27/12/08 the BBC ran a 10 minute feature on ColaLife updating the initial interview back in June on the BBC Radio 4 programme, iPM. It includes bits from the original interview in June 2008, an update on progress and the vision from me and a clever audio cut from the frontline video filmed in Tanzania.
The item is no longer available on the BBC iPlayer but, thanks to the iPM Team, you can listen by clicking on one of the players below:
High quality (for broadband users)
Low quality but totally adequate (dial-up connections)
Eddie Mair finishes the feature saying “Simon Berry with his aidpod“. This is interesting because at the recent face-to-face meeting of ColaLife supporters there was lots a discussion about what the ‘ColaLife Pod’ should be called as the pod idea has applications beyond Coca-Cola, or Pepsi Cola for that matter. Terms like ‘healthpod’ and ‘lifepod’ are already in use for other things but ‘aidpod’ isn’t. So . . . . I’ve registered aidpod.org, aidpod.org.uk and aidpod.co.uk just in case we need them moving forward. For the moment I have re-directed these domain names to the ColaLife Blog.
If we adopted the term ‘aidpod’ then we would need to start talking in terms of ‘The ColaLife AidPod‘ which would leave space for the ‘Pepsi AidPod’ and the ‘Heineken AidPod’ etc etc
Any thoghts on the ‘aidpod’ name? What would it go down like on the frontline I wonder?
A holiday gift for all ColaLife supporters
December 24, 2008 by Simon Berry · 1 Comment
Happy holidays everyone!
ColaLife is likely to be featured as ‘a highlight of the year’ in BBC Radio 4’s iPM programme (scroll down to ‘Greatest Hits’) on 27/12/08. If you are near a radio in the UK at 17:30 GMT on that day please tune in. Alternatively you can listen via the internet on the Radio 4 page.
Image credit: Cola-Cola gets everywhere, Les Menuires, Dec 2008. Simon Berry.
Summing up. ColaLife face-to-face gathering 16/12/08
December 18, 2008 by Simon Berry · 7 Comments
Rather than write a long report we thought we’d sum the evening up there and then. We are, left to right, Simon Berry, William Hoyle (CTT) and Simon Cohen (Global Tolerance). David Wilcox (socialreporter.com) is on the camera and Ian Crawford is asking the questions.
It you’ve got 40 minutes to spare(!) you might want to watch this very informal delivery of the ColaLife story so far. Make yourself a cup of tea or grab a beer before pressing the play button. Thanks again to David Wilcox (socialreporter.com) for the camera work and editing.
If you’d like a copy of the Powerpoint presentation please leave a comment.
Why are you here? ColaLife face-to-face 16/12/08
December 16, 2008 by Simon Berry · 2 Comments
| Steve Bridger | Megan Riera | Troy Kennedy |
| . | . | . |
| Richard Cooper & William Hoyle |
Jess Ponsford | Emma Berry |
| Luke Berry | Simon Cohen | Lance McPherson |
Here’s a selection of the lovely people who gathered at the Global Tolerance HQ in London tonight to talk about ColaLife. Thanks to everyone who came and to Simon Cohen and the team at Global Tolerance for hosting the gathering.
There were loads of great ideas for the next steps which we will report on over the next couple of days.
ColaLife Aims and Objectives reviewed
December 13, 2008 by Simon Berry · 1 Comment
Based on recent learning the aims and objectives of the ColaLife have been revised and published here.
The changes made stem mainly from one thing; what is carried in the crates should be locally determined by health professionals and institutions - those with the long term responsibility for health services. This means that we move away from the narrow focus on ORS and educational materials on health and hygiene to ’social products’ of any sort.
We move towards the idea of incorporating a ‘ColaLife Pod‘ in Coca-Cola crates that can contain anything (within reason). The pods would contain the things that are required in any particular region and may vary with the season of the year or in response to local events.
We believe that as well as being sound from a development perspective, the local determination of what is distributed and the focus on the ‘ColaLife Pod‘ rather than any particular product, will make it acceptable for a wider range of social products to be distributed in Coca-Cola crates.
Onwards and upwards.
An amazing day in the life of ColaLife
December 12, 2008 by Simon Berry · Leave a Comment
PART 1
I was roped into attending a workshop this afternoon representing Defra but what an amazing experience it was. It was entitled ‘Building resilient communities: from idea to sustainable action‘ and it was run by the Risk and Regulation Advisory Council. The subject was very familiar territory for me but the way it was done (by Innovationarts) was brilliant and there were some very influential people there (including Dame Julia Cleverdon). During the plenaries the discussion was captured by a cartoonist and as you can see above, ColaLife made it into the final plenary discussion.
I am always very careful not to mix ColaLife into my working day but it was dragged out of me! I was in a break-out group with a friend and ColaLife fan, Lola Barrett of Grenfell Housing Association. We were talking about the future and the role on technology and she said, “Go on Simon tell them. Tell them about ColaLife.” I refused but the protest was overwhelming(!) and it was a relevant example of the role of new technology. So I explained. Another member of our group then brought it into the plenary and it was captured by the cartoonist. And it got an applause!
PART 2
I spent Wednesday night writing up revised objectives for ColaLife based on the experience of the trip to Tanzania and I posted these to the ColaLife Google Group for comments. The modifications I suggested came mainly from one thing and that is that what is carried in the crates should be locally determined by health professionals. This means that we move away from ORS and educational materials on health and hygiene to ’social products’ (a term used during the Tanzania meeting) of any sort. So we move towards the idea of a ‘colalife pod’ that can contain anything (within reason).
Anyway, this set ColaLife supporter Magedlena Serpa off on a mission as it made the proposition of interest to the organisation she works for. This resulted in an interrupted conference call to Washington on the 18:57 from Euston to Rugby! This was not entirely successful (the mobile signal was not good) but established contact with Peter Johnson of AED, a nonprofit organisation working globally to improve education, health, civil society and economic development - “the foundation of thriving societies”. AED have a turnover of more than $400 million and employ some 2,000 staff in more than 150 countries. Peter handles corporate relations for AED who have an existing relationship with Coca-Cola . . . are AED the multi-national NGO we are looking for? Well they may be. Watch this space.
All in all, a very exciting day! Have we reached a tipping point?
Progress Report - 6/12/08
December 6, 2008 by Simon Berry · Leave a Comment
Children at Rene MDC, Dar Es Salaam >>more photos
Here is an update on the progress of the Coca Cola campaign. The headline is:
ColaLife in Dar Es Sallaam. Read the diary.
May 1988 - May 2008 - the first 7,305 days - no progress!
- May 1988 Had the idea while working on the British Aid Programme in NE Zambia that Coca-Cola’s distribution muscle could be used to distribute oral rehydration salts in developing countries
- I tried to promote the idea but made no progress at all!
May 2008 onwards- the last 180 days - real progress!
- 6/5/08 The presence of Coca-Cola’s Chief Executive at the Business Call To Action event re-kindled the idea. I contributed to the online blog saying: What about Coca Cola using their
distribution channels (which are amazing in developing countries) to distribute rehydration salts? Maybe by dedicating one compartment in every 10 crates as ‘the life saving’ compartment?’ (original live blog available here)
- 6/5/08 I decided to blog the idea and then follow-up by trying to get Coca-Cola’s attention. The blog post is here.
- After the blog post I tried to get the idea debated on the BBC Radio 4 iPM programme. I was successful on the 3rd attempt and after getting friends to support the idea on the iPM blog (see below).
- 6-14/5/08 I was in communication with Coca-Cola but could not get past the first line in Coca-Cola’s CSR department
- 16/5/08 Heard Annie Lennox on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. She said We can distribute Coca Cola all around the World but we can’t seem to get medication to save a child from something as simple as diarrhoea and I think that that is wrong. At this point I decided my blog post wasn’t going to be enough! I decided to set up a Facebook group to get people behind the idea.
- 18/5/08 Facebook Group formed.
- 19/5/08 #colalife tag set-up in hastags
- 21/5/08 Interviewed by Eddie Mair for the iPM Programme.
- 21-24/5/08 The iPM Team worked flat-out to create an amazing feature for the programme on 24/5/08 and this paid off handsomely
- 23/5/08 colalife tag establsished in del.icio.us
- 23/5/08 The iPM Team received a Written statement received from Coca Cola - ‘willing to talk’
- 24/5/08 The campaign was featured on iPM (BBC Radio 4)
- 24/5/08 As part of the iPM feature, Eve Graham (ex lead singer - The New Seekers) sang supporting lyrics to ‘I’d like to teach the world to sing’.
- 27/5/08 Coca-Cola Reydration Project proposed on RSA Networks (RSA Members only)
- 1/6/08 The colalife ampaign was nominated for the New Media Awards
- 5/6/08 Telephone conference with Coca Cola’s Global Head of Stakeholder Relations and UK conterpart
- 13/6/08 Facebook Group grew from 0 to 2,115 in 26 days. Membership includes a ‘frontline’ Rehydration Project in India
- 16/6/08 Face to face meeting with Coca Cola’s Salvatore Gabola in Brussels.
- 3/7/08 Ran workshop at the 2gether08 Festival
- 3/7/08 Follow-up interview with the iPM Programme (video)
- 6/7/08 Coca-Cola’s Adrian Ristow sent his first diary note from Ethiopia
- 6/7/08 ColaLife Google Group established
- 6-20/7/08 Facebook bug did not allow Kate Andrews to be added as group administrator - Facebook Support contacted
- 13/7/08 Simon Berry interviewed on the BBC World Service
- 21/7/08 Kate Andrews became Admin of the Facebook Group (group size: 3,400)
- 29/7/08 Kate’s article published on Inhabitat.com
- Inhabitat article starts an avalanche of other artcles including on treehugger, trendhunter and many more.
- 3/8/08 ColaLife Flickr Group established
- 3/8/08 colalife.org domain name purchased
- 3/8/08 Aims & objectives finalised through Google Group
- 4/8/08 Colalife website and dedicated blog built by Facebook Group member Dave Briggs.
- 6/8/08 Facebook Group membership hits 4,000
- 14/8/08 First face-to-face meet-up of the ColaLife Group
- 20/8/08 Meeting with James Alexander, CEO, We Are What We Do
- 21/8/08 Interviewed for Common Ground Magazine (US) - feature to be published on 1/10/08
- 21/8/08 Responded to questions from El Mercurio, Chile
- 27/8/08 Facebook Group membership hits 5,000, Google group has 55 members, Flickr Group has 256 members
- 31/8/08 Article published in the Sunday edition of El Mercurio, Chile. This is the first the ColaLife story has been printed on paper. >>more
- 1/9/08 ColaLife banner ads made available. >>more
- 8/9/08 Facebook group hits 5,500 - the number of children under the age of 5 that die each day in Africa. >>more
- 12/9/08 ColaLife ‘Buzz Monitor’ created using Pageflakes. >>more
- 15/9/08 talkSPORT interview. >>more
- 20/9/08 Excellent ‘Before and After’ ORS pictures found. >>more
- 4/10/08 ColaLife featured as a case study at ‘Social Activism Online’ conference. >>more
- 18/10/08 ColaLife press page created >>more
- 19/10/08 ColaLife Video for Google’s Project 10^100 published on YouTube. View the video on YouTube.
- 19/10/08 Application submitted to Google’s Project 10^100. >>more
- 25/10/08 Kate Andrews writes ColaLife Wikipedia Entry.
- 25/10/08 Coca-Cola invites ColaLife to Dar Es Salaam! >>more
- 6/11/08 ColaLife Video for Google’s Project 10^100 made available for the iPod >>more
- 10/11/08 Skype call with ColaLife mentor Tielmann Nieuwoudt
- 15/11/08 Jess ponsford submits innovation ‘ColaLife Pod’ design ideas >>more
- 18/11/08 Facebook Group membership hit 7,000
- 20/11/08 BBC to cover the Tanzania Trip >>more
- 20/10/08 ColaLife case study presented at NCVO’s Collaboration conference
- 24/11/08 ColaLife plenary presentation at NCVO’s Info 2.0 conference >>more
- 24/11/08 Views of ColaLife Video for Google’s Project 10^100 hit 3,000
- 25/11/08 Kate Andrews presented ColaLife as a case study at KHiO, Oslo
National Academy of the Arts >>more
- 25-29/11/08 Simon Berry in Tanzania at the invitation of Coca-Cola >>more
- 25/11/08 Field trip to Manual Distribution Centres (MDCs) in Dar Es Salaam >>more
- 26/11/08 Stakeholder meeting convened by Coca-Cola in Dar Es Salaam
- 26/11/08 Made prototype ‘ColaLife Pods’ >>more
- 27/11/08 Field trip with Benito Xaverly - ‘ColaLife Pods’ discussed on video >>more
- 28/11/08 Met with Dr Jane Miller, PSI, Dar Es Salaam. PSI are potential partners in the trialing of the ColaLife idea >>more
- 4/12/08 interviewed by Nigel Courtney for NESTA Innovation Handbook
- 5/12/08 Live interview on newstalk Radio, Ireland’s national talk radio station >>more
Next moves
- Face to face gathering to take place at Global Tolerance on 16/12/08 >>more
- Develop the relationship with PSI in Tanzania
- Continue to push for field trials in the New Year.
- Seeking engagement from a multi-national NGO (if PSI do not want to engage).
- Encouraging ideas and contributions from members of the various ColaLife groups (eg design of inserts for crates; educational and awareness raising materials; local logistics; grass-roots engagement etc etc).
- On-going PR campaign to ensure support groups continue to grow.
5,500 children die every day in Africa before the age of 5. This initiative could save thousands and thousands of children’s lives through positive engagement between the private and NGO sector.
Many thanks to newstalk
December 5, 2008 by Simon Berry · 1 Comment
The ColaLife Facebook Group has received a boost today thanks to Sean Moncrieff and all the lovely people at newstalk radio, Ireland. Thanks particularly to newstalk listeners Stephen Byrne and Neil Curran who actually posted positive messages on the wall of the Facebook Group.
I was interviewed over the phone this afternoon by Sean . . . . although Caroline and Naomi at newstalk had set me up for a pre-recorded session, I found myself talking to Sean live!
Thanks for your support.
Tanzania trip - summary of progress
December 2, 2008 by Simon Berry · Leave a Comment
For those of you without the time to plough through all the material generated during the Tanzania trip, here’s a summary with some quick links:
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ColaLife Pods - what the frontline thinks A discussion about the ColaLife pods outside a Manual Cistribution Centre (MDC) in Dar Es Salaam. This includes a ‘must see’ video! . |
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Discussions with an international NGO with a long-term and significant presence in Tanzania Before we can move to piloting the ColaLife idea we need to identify a local NGO who can lead on the initiative. I met with PSI, Tanzania on my last day and they may consider taking up the idea although there is no formal agreement in place yet. |
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Summary of information gained by talking with people who run MDCs There was a consensus on the logistics of including ’social products’ within Coca-Cola crates. . |
What others are saying about ColaLife- ColaLife on Flickr
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